Effects of sonic energy on monospecific biofilms of cariogenic microorganisms

Purpose: To evaluate the in vitro differential effect of sonic energy, delivered by Sonicare Advance, on cariogenic and non-cariogenic bacteria biofilms. Methods: A wild strain of Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus salivarius and Veillonella alcalescens was isolated from human dental plaque. For each of the four microorganisms a biofilm adherent to bovine enamel disks, coated with artificial saliva, was obtained. Biofilms were divided into four groups and were exposed to acoustic energy delivered by Sonicare for 0 (control group), 5, 15 and 30 seconds. The distance between the end of the bristles and the disk surface was set to 7 mm, to ensure that the biofilm removal was simply due to fluid forces and not to the contact with the bristle tips during the brushing cycle. A colorimetric technique (MTT assay), based on the reduction of a yellow tetrazolium salt to a purple formazan, was used to evaluate the reduction of the adherent biomass after the exposure to the sonic energy. Results: ANOVA results showed that sonic energy exposure significantly reduced the biomass of S. mutans and S. salivarius adherent to the disks, while L. acidophilus and V. alcalescens seemed to remain basically unaffected. In the two streptococcal groups, the increase of the exposure time led to different reduction trends; while S. salivarius exhibited a progressive decrease over time, S. mutans showed a rapid reduction of the adherent biomass after a 15-second exposure to Sonicare.